Overcoming Truth
by BevS62706
Summary: Lois tries to deal with new revelations, as Clark tries to work up the courage to reveal his true identity to her. During this time, Superman and Lois' love continues to grow. Takes place immediately after Superman Returns, so it contains some spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the movie Superman Returns or any of the Superman franchise.

Introduction:

Superman gazed down as the lights of Metropolis as a cool breeze flapped his cape lightly behind him. His mind was clouded with thoughts of his fall to Earth, his newly discovered son, and above all, the warmth of Lois' lips as she kissed him briefly in the hospital. He had so wanted to return the kiss, to declare his love for the only woman who had captured his heart and soul, but he was paralyzed by the loss of strength he faced after lifting Lex's island into the sky.

"I truly believed I would die," he thought to himself, "How am I still here?"

He wanted to believe it was his love for Lois that helped him survive, but he knew his survival was not a result of his own feelings. Kal-El was sent here to save humanity, and even though he tried to fully embrace his role as Clark Kent, he could not avoid his destiny. He had mentioned to Lois once that he heard the cries of people for a savior, and it was their faith, he decided, that pulled him through. Their cries reminded him he could not lose his way.

Superman began to feel weak as the kryptonite wound in his back began to burn again. He knew it would take only a couple days before he was fully healed, but he refused to leave the world to fend for itself. He decided to take one more quick flight before turning in for the night. He figured if there was any trouble, he could deal with it quickly and then return to the hotel.

His mother had traveled to the city as soon as she heard of his plight. She had whispered softly that she would wait for him at the hotel while she stood among the crowd outside the hospital. Martha Kent knew her son would always be able to hear her voice, and simply wanted to offer him shelter in the city until his health returned.

As he wondered whether or not to reveal the identity of Jason's father to his mother, he noticed he had once again ended up at the house on the lake he had become so familiar with. He decided to take one last look to see if Jason and Lois were ok. Jason was fast asleep again, only hours after he had spoke with him. Lois was just climbing into bed as Richard snored softly next to her. She seemed to look right at Superman for a second before shutting her eyes. He knew she couldn't really see him through the wall, but maybe, just maybe, she felt his presence there.

At that thought, he flew back up into the sky. He said a silent thanks to the city for not having any severe criminal disturbances as he flew quietly through the night, and then headed for the hotel where he immediately collapsed into sleep.

One Week Later…

Usually the over-crowded elevator at the Daily Planet did not bother Lois, but today she felt uniquely claustrophobic. The quick comments about new updates seemed deafening as she willed the elevator to move faster. It was all she could do not to scream for everyone to shut up so that she could think.

Thinking. That was something Lois could not stop doing regardless of any distractions. She had spent the entire week that Perry had granted her off after being saved from the sinking ship replaying her last conversations with Superman. She was also still reeling from the discovery of Jason being his son. She had told herself this was silly, since she had always considered it was a possibility. Of course it wasn't until her son pushed a full-sized grand piano into her attacker that she accepted the truth.

She knew that this secret could not be kept to herself. She loved Richard for his simplicity and kindness, but it was Superman that took her breath away. Jason was even living proof of this fact. Lois closed her eyes as she recalled her confession to Superman as he lie in his hospital bed.

"Jason...Jason is your son. You'll have to help him deal with growing up with such extraordinary abilities. He needs you in his life…and so do I. I love you."

She had said no more, partly because she wasn't sure he could even hear her, but mostly because there was nothing left to say. When she had kissed him, Lois hoped maybe he would wake up and take her in his arms. Unfortunately, she received only the beeping sounds of the heart monitor.

Lois greeted the ding of the elevator with a sigh of relief as she strode to her desk. Her relief, though, was quickly halted by the stack of memos that had collected next to her computer. She knew that work wouldn't wait for her to recover, but the size of the pile still made her groan as she took her seat.

"My thoughts exactly." Clark said as he popped his head over the division between their desks. Her expression softened when she saw his face. "Hey Lois," he said quietly, "How are you holding up?"

"Clark, I'm fine. Really." she quickly said as she diverted her eyes back to the memos. She knew she was lying, but she couldn't really open up to Clark about her news concerning who Jason's real father was. When she glanced back at Clark, she could tell he wouldn't buy her response. She began trying to think of something better to say when Clark asked if she wanted to get some air on the roof. Despite the fact that she had just sat down less than five minutes ago, some fresh air sounded like the perfect way to clear her head. "Alright, but I can't be gone long."

If Lois had looked up at Clark instead of turning around to grab her coat, she would have noticed the small smile that played on his lips. He was remembering that she had said those same words to him only weeks ago on the roof before he had taken her for an unforgettable flight over the city. "Whatever you say Lois." And with that he escorted her back to the elevator.


	2. Chapter 2

"So how are you _really_ holding up?" Clark asked Lois again. He gazed at her slim figure as she leaned against the ledge. She looked almost angelic as the sun shone behind her and highlighted her deep brown hair.

"Confused." she stated without hesitation. From the puzzled look on Clark's face, she knew she would have to elaborate. "Clark, it is no secret that I have had feelings for Superman in the past."

Clark pretended to seem surprised, but he could sense Lois knew his reaction was only out of courtesy.

"I thought that those feelings were gone. I mean, he's been gone for five years. After a certain amount of time, I just felt I had to let go. But seeing him again…it just brought all those feelings rushing back." She blushed at this. Clark knew it was rare for Lois to show any vulnerability. Ever since he had met her, she had been nothing but defensive, strong, and poised. It wasn't until he began meeting her as Superman that he discovered that she was secretly a romantic.

"You're not gonna tease me about all this?" she laughed nervously.

"Of course not. I know everything lately has been really hard on you. I just want you to know I'm always around to listen if you need to talk." He hoped adding the line "always around" might spark a memory in her, but Lois' mind was already elsewhere.

"Thanks," she said, "but I won't bore you with this any longer."

Clark was about to protest when he had an idea. "Well, um, I'm gonna go back down and start reviewing those memos. I'll cover for you a bit so you can have some time to think things through yourself." He almost didn't finish his sentence by the time he reached the stairwell. He glanced to see if Lois was turned around, and then opened the door to make it sound like he had actually left. He then jumped into the alley way behind the Daily Planet and made his transformation into the infamous Superman.

Clark had put on the suit so many times, but found even now that he was hesitating. There would always be a part of him that wanted to save the world as Clark Kent instead of a flashy superhero. He yearned for a day in which he didn't have to work so hard to protect his identity.

With a quick sigh, he folded up his outfit for the day and hid it in a safe place. He then flew up to greet Lois.

Lois was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Superman was standing less than two feet behind her until he put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped, only for a second, and then composed herself as best she could.

"I thought you were Clark." she stated flatly, not realizing how ironic her comment was.

"I had to see you again. I wish we could have talked longer that one night, but I figured a deep-hearted conversation in front of Jason wasn't the best idea." He smiled, but Lois was not amused. She knew he was right, but that night she felt she would only be content if she was wrapped in his arms. Her heart ached when she had watched him fly away. Superman seemed to sense some of these feelings and tried to justify himself.

"Lois, I heard everything you said in the hospital. I was overwhelmed by the news about Jason. I talked to him that night while he was asleep. He finally put everything my father has been telling me into perspective. He's so beautiful, Lois, just like his mother." That last comment made her weak in the knees, but she waited to see if he mentioned the other thing she had told him in the hospital. As if on cue, he continued.

"You know how I feel about you Lois. I've loved you since the first day I met you. I feel so alone in this world sometimes, but when I'm with you, I feel complete."

She couldn't take it any longer. She moved towards him and leaned into his chest, but before she could meet her mouth to his, he moved away. She looked at him, confused by his reaction.

"I can't do anything with you Lois. You're with Richard, and despite me trying desperately to find flaws in him, I believe he is a good guy. Being with you would be selfish of me, and I don't think I can live with that."

Lois could not believe what she was hearing, but somehow found herself agreeing with him. "I know Richard is a good guy, it's just…when I'm with you…" But Superman interrupted her before she could finish.

"Someone's coming. I have to go." He turned and flew away.

"Wait!" she shouted.

Superman slowed to a stop in the air and heard her faintly say "Meet me at the pier at midnight."

Lois knew Superman understood her as he drifted out of sight. She then stared at the stairwell door as Perry slammed past it.

"KENT!" he screamed. He then saw Lois and instantly calmed down. "Oh. Lois. I didn't know you were up here. I was looking for Clark. Can you believe I give him a job after he vanishes for five years on a mysterious vacation, and then grant him an ADDITIONAL week off just to have him disappear again on his first day back? I must be crazy."

Lois knew Perry had a temper, but Clark's erratic behavior was unprofessional.

"I'll help you look for him Chief." she said simply, and followed him back down the stairs and into the elevator.

It didn't take long to find Clark, since he was sitting right at his desk. He claimed he hadn't moved since he had returned from the roof, which made Perry so angry that he turned red and retreated to his office.

"I'd be careful if I were you." Lois piped as she again took her seat at the desk. Clark made some comment about having a good lead on Lex Luther's new hideout, but Lois was distracted by the note that was left on her desk.

_Dear Lois,_

_I got a sitter for Jason tonight. I'll make dinner at the house. I think we need to talk. –Richard_

"Is something wrong?" Clark asked in response to her silence.

"Just all these memos." she said after a beat. She saw the stack of papers as a way to avoid her feelings about her conversation with Superman on the roof and her confrontation with Richard tonight, and began to sort through them as slowly as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

Lois didn't realize how nervous she was until she reached her front door. She knew the inevitable was coming as soon as she unlocked the door.

For such a strong woman, Lois was having a hard time making a simple decision. Superman or Richard? Both men were attractive, kind, and selfless. They each made incredible fathers and kept her guessing with sweet surprises. She hoped that she would find her strength soon and face the decision she felt her heart had already made.

Before she could dwell on her dilemma any longer, Richard opened the door.

"Lois? What are you doing just standing here?" he asked curiously.

"I was just trying to find my keys" she stated quickly as she threw her keys into her purse behind her back. This answer seemed to satisfy him, but she avoided his eyes anyway as she brushed past him. She had known Richard long enough to realize that he was not oblivious, and that one look into her eyes would reveal her fib.

Lois put her purse and coat down on the chair in the hall, and continued to walk towards the kitchen. The food smelled delicious, and she had become quite hungry after avoiding leaving her desk all day.

"Lois the food is already on the table in the dining room. You can go have a seat and I will be there in a second." Richard called from the doorway.

"Already on the table? Wow. This must be special." Lois thought to herself.

The dining room looked like a scene from a romantic movie. There were two single candles lit on the table with two plates full of Lois' favorite foods.

I thought we could open a bottle of wine for dessert," Richard said softly as he placed the bottle of white wine on the table, "If we make it to dessert." He added playfully.

Lois looked at him for a moment smiling. Just then a breeze came in through the window. She closed her eyes for a second and instantly flashed back to the night Superman had taken her flying above the city. At the mere thought of the emotions she had felt while he had his arm around her, a tear slid down her cheek.

"Aw, Lois, you don't have to cry. I just wanted to surprise you so that you could get your mind off the horrors of last week." Richard said as he hugged her gently.

Lois wanted to tell him she loved him. She wanted to get lost in Richard's kiss and forget that Superman existed. Her brain kept telling her to respond to him, but her heart was already focused on another man.

"Richard, I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you."

She backed away slowly from him so that she could see his reaction. She thought she would see pain in his eyes, but instead he was smiling.

"Lois, you deserve everything." he said as he moved to hug her again.

This time she was more firm. She knew that if she touched him one more time, she might not be able to get the words out.

"No, you don't understand." She was now shaking, but had enough will power to keep the couple feet between her and Richard.

"Lois. You're scaring me. What's going on?" Richard looked worried, but there was a hint of knowing in his eyes. She knew that he had a hunch her Superman phase had never ended, but never pried her for answers after asking her flatly if she ever loved him. She had said no at the time, even though a couple weeks ago she still knew that a piece of her heart belonged to the man of steel.

"Ask me again." she whispered.

"What?" Richard asked, his tone both confused and scared.

"Ask me if I loved Superman." This time she met his eyes. She could see the pain now. It seemed to hit him almost like a punch because he swayed back a few steps. He regained his stance within moments, but still looked defeated. After a couple minutes he looked at her once more. It was Richard's turn to shed a tear. As it rolled down his left cheek, he obliged her request.

"Did you love him?"

"I still do." Lois then broke into sobs as she brought her hands up to her face. Richard's hands soon covered hers as he gently pulled her arms back down.

"You can't help who you love." He whispered softly in her ear as he embraced her one last time.

Lois looked up at him, amazed that despite everything, he was able to say the perfect words. She tilted her head to the side and lifted her chin as he leaned in to kiss her goodbye. The kiss lasted only seconds, but it was full of so many emotions that Lois barely found the strength to pull away. The kiss conveyed all their happiness that they had shared together and was a perfect ending to the relationship.

"I think I'll finally take that trip to London that I have been dreaming about." Richard finally said after what seemed like an eternity.

Lois understood he was only mentioning this to tell her he would give her some time to pack up and move out of the house while they both dealt with the consequences of their sudden parting. Lois had moved in when Jason was born, and always felt as if she would never stay very long in the comfortable home.

"I'll go crash at a Jimmy's tonight, and I will fly out tomorrow morning. I just need to get away and take some time for myself." His voice was shaky. Lois nodded lightly and began to pull her engagement ring off her finger.

"I suppose you will want this back. And don't worry. Jason and I will be out of here by the time you return." She went to offer him the ring, but he simply closed Lois's hand and pushed her arm back towards her chest.

"It was a gift. Keep it. I plan on staying in London for a couple months, so take your time. If you need anything, you know how to find me." He then turned to get his keys, and was halfway out the door before he paused and turned to Lois again.

"I know Jason isn't my son." This statement seemed to hurt him more than anything Lois could ever say. Her jaw dropped slightly, and she looked down at the floor before returning his gaze.

"I know he isn't my son, but I still love him. I want to be able to see him every once in awhile and remind him of that." Richard turned around again to walk out the door.

"He will never forget that you love him." Lois said quietly.

Richard stopped one final time, but he did not turn around. He took in a couple long breaths, and then left.

Lois blew out the candles, now burnt a third of the way down, and put the food and wine away for another day. She had once again lost her appetite.

She did not falter as she climbed the stairs to her room, nor when she closed the bedroom door behind her. It wasn't until she got into bed and pulled the covers up to her face that she began to cry.


	4. Chapter 4

Martha stared at her son from across the table as he practically inhaled his food.

"Clark! Slow down! Why are you in such a rush?" she exclaimed.

He politely wiped his mouth and then mumbled something about wanting to take a nice walk along the pier. She deduced quickly that her son had not suddenly taken up an interest in taking midnight strolls, and pressed him further.

"Clark, does this have something to do with Lois?" Martha was the only one in the world who knew her son's other weakness: Lois Lane. The spunky brunette reporter who had captured her son's heart. Clark had told her and Jonathan all about how much she had picked on him when he first started working for the _Daily Planet,_ but she knew this was all an act to hide his true feelings for her.

"I'll take that as a yes." she continued in response to his silence. "You can't keep this up you know."

"Keep up what?" he said as he looked up from his plate.

"You can't keep stealing moments with her as Superman. Clark, if this woman is going to be the love of your life, she deserves to know all of whom she loves." Clark looked back down at his plate. They had this conversation many times before, but he had always insisted he was waiting for the right time to reveal himself to Lois.

"Mom, you don't understand. It's complicated. She's with Richard now, and I told her I wouldn't stand in the way of their happiness. If I can't tell her how much it hurts every day to think of her with another man, then I don't think I can reveal the identity I've hid from her for years." He then began to twirl his fork around on his plate.

Martha took another bite to ponder this for a moment and then said simply "If you want to stay out of her life, why are you so eager to meet her at the pier?"

He stopped twirling the fork as if to think of a suitable reason to justify his meeting Lois. When he couldn't, he dropped the utensil and stood up to clear the table. Martha decided not to say anymore, and joined Clark in the kitchen to finish washing the plates.

A few minutes later, Clark changed back into his Superman costume she had made him years ago. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and thanked her for dinner. He had been flying over once a week claiming to miss her home cooking, but she knew he secretly wanted to check in on her. She never said anything, though, because she enjoyed their dinners. As she watched him disappear among the stars, she silently wished him luck on his midnight meeting with Lois.

Clark quietly let himself in to the storage room window at the Daily Planet. He had an hour until he had to meet Lois, and decided to finish up a piece he had begun writing this afternoon. He knew Perry was aggravated with him and thought that turning in some of his reports early might soften him up again.

He found his suitcase that he had placed in the room upon his return to Metropolis. He still couldn't believe how hard it was to find a decent-priced apartment. He changed back into his usual work clothes, and then took a moment to listen if anyone was still on the floor that would see him emerge from the room. When he decided the coast was clear, he opened the door and walked over to his desk.

"Hey Clark!" Jimmy yelled from the copy machine.

Clark nearly jumped back at the sound of his voice. The hum of the copy machine he had mistaken for the air conditioner, but since the storage room was so close to the elevator, Clark realized Jimmy would not figure out where he had really entered from.

"Jimmy! You scared me for a second. What are you still doing here?" he asked as he watched him fumble with some papers.

"Ugh. You know Perry. He wants to see everything as soon as possible. I got a few shots of Superman flying over the city earlier, and Perry demanded that he checked them before I sent them off to the printer for Lois's article "Superman, Back in Action." Jimmy flashed the few photos at him and then returned to the copier.

"Oh. Well, I just came in to finish that article on the morning's bank robbery. Good thing Superman was there to catch those thugs." He hated talking about Superman as if he was another person, but it helped to make comments like that every once in awhile to keep people in the dark about his alter ego.

"Yeah." Jimmy called from the copier. "It's nice to see his strength has returned. I still can't believe he survived that fall."

"Me neither." Clark said under his breath as he sat down.

Just then, the elevator door sprung open and Richard stepped out.

"Hey Kent. Have you seen Jimmy around?" he asked as he made his way towards Clark's desk.

"Richard! What are you doing here?" Jimmy said surprised to see his friend at such a late hour. "Is something wrong?"

"Can we talk in the conference room?" he said meekly and then glanced at Clark and added "No offense, I just need to ask him a personal favor."

"None taken." Clark responded quickly, knowing full well he would be able to hear every word.

He watched as the two men sat down in the conference room. Richard then sighed heavily as he struggled with his explanation.

"Lois and I…We're…It's over." Clark almost fell out of his chair at this news, but tried to keep up the appearance that he was busy writing. After all, the conference room was mostly made out of glass, and Jimmy and Richard were only 50 feet away.

Richard continued before Jimmy could respond. "I was wondering if I could crash on your couch tonight. I'm gonna fly out to London tomorrow so I'll be out of your way."

Jimmy knew better than to try comforting his friend. Richard was obviously too exhausted to discuss it further. He just said lightly "Sure. Whatever you need. I'll just put those photos on Perry's desk and then we can leave."

"Thanks Jimmy." Richard then stood up and walked back towards the elevator. "I'll wait by the car." he called.

Jimmy said a quick goodnight to Clark, and then followed Richard outside. Once he was alone, Clark leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head as he breathed out.

He couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Lois ended it with Richard for me." he thought. Then he paused for a moment when he realized it wasn't for him. She had done what she did for Superman.

He heard his mother's voice in his head again.

"Clark, if this woman is going to be the love of your life, she deserves to know all of whom she is loves."

It was in that moment he decided it was finally time to reveal the truth to Lois. He rushed to put his article away, and then ran back to the storage room to change. As he began taking off his shirt, he had an idea.

"Why tell her when I can show her?" he said aloud to no one.

He buttoned up his shirt and rushed down the stairs. He knew it would be faster than the elevator.

He began to go over his plan in his head as he raced towards the pier. He would wait on the single bench at the end of the walk, and when she asked him what he was doing there, he would take her on another incredible flight. This time not as Superman, but as Clark Kent, the reporter she had overlooked so many times.

Clark slowed his pace as he approached the pier. He glanced at his watch.

"11:45. Fifteen minutes until I will hold her in my arms again." With that thought, he settled himself on the bench and listened to the lull of the waves as he waited for Lois.

Lois turned over in bed and stared at the clock. She knew she was already late to meet Superman, but she couldn't seem to make herself go. The night had been emotional enough, and she wasn't sure she could handle anymore. She only hoped Superman would understand when she explained herself later. 12:36. That was the last time she saw before she closed her eyes and let sleep take over.

12:36. "Where is she?" Clark thought. Lois was not one to be late. He stood slowly, and glanced out over the ocean.

"Maybe this isn't meant to be." he said softly, and then turned back towards the city.

Note: I will be gone for the next week or so, but expect multiple updates upon my return. Thank you all for your nice comments )


	5. Chapter 5

"Lois! What happened last night?" Clark said suddenly as she walked past him at the Daily Planet.

"Excuse me?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow. "What business is it of yours?"

Clark realized he had been too quick to speak. He hadn't slept at all last night. Instead he had just tossed around in his bed trying to come up with possible reasons for Lois standing him up at the pier. He couldn't get over how close he had come to unveiling himself as Superman.

He quickly changed his tone as he calmed down. "Uh, I saw Richard last night." Lois flinched for a second, but tried to act as though she had no idea what he was implying.

He allowed himself to graze her arm briefly as he tried to comfort her. "I was just worried about you."

"Don't be Clark. I can take care of myself." She took a breath and then said quietly, "I don't deserve any sympathy anyway."

"For what it's worth," Clark interrupted, "I admire your honesty. Few people have the strength you do to follow your heart."

Her small smile that followed surprised him.

"You know what Kent? I'm glad you're back." She smiled once more before quickly changing the subject back to work. "So what was that you were saying the other day about a lead on Luther?"

Lois had always thrown herself into her work to avoid her feelings. It was a trait Clark had picked up on within days of meeting her.

"Well, I called…" he started to say, but was stopped by Jimmy slamming his suitcase down on the desk.

"Sorry Clark. Chief says he doesn't want you living out of the storage room anymore."

Clark blushed for a moment as Jimmy was called away again. He hadn't realized Perry was aware of his current living situation.

"Clark, you're living out of a storage closet?" Lois said somewhat disgusted by the thought.

Clark began to mumble about how he had been trying to find an apartment when Lois began speaking again.

"Well," she sighed, "that just won't do. You can stay with Jason and I at the house on the lake. And don't think I'm doing you any favors Kent. I plan on putting you to work as soon as you arrive."

Clark hesitated. He did need a place to stay, but it would be hard keeping his secret from Lois if they lived under the same roof.

"I don't know Lois…" he began.

"I won't take no for an answer." she stated flatly.

"Well, I guess there is no arguing with you then." He paused for a moment and then said "Thank you." before he watched her turn back to her computer.

His thoughts then drifted to Jason. He was grateful for the opportunity to get to know his son he had practically deserted for five years.

"Oh, and Clark?" Lois said as she leaned over to look at him. "Don't get any ideas."

For the first time in weeks he heard Lois laugh. It was one of the most beautiful sounds he was fortunate to hear.

He stared back at his own monitor and muttered to himself "Living with Lois? This should be interesting."

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"Do you think Clark knows how to play piano?" Jason asked as he sat and watched his mother make up the guest room.

"I don't think so honey. Clark is a pretty simple guy. I don't think they even have music classes out in Kansas." she responded. Lois was exasperated by her son's numerous questions, but since Richard had just left and another man was moving in, she figured Jason was bound to be suspicious.

"Maybe I can teach him." Jason said cheerfully. For some reason, Lois had noticed that he had quickly taken a liking to Clark.

"Jason, I'm sure Clark has better things to do than learn piano from…" but she was suddenly interrupted by Clark's voice in the foyer.

"I'd love for you to teach me piano, Jason." Clark said as he found his way up to the guest room down the hall.

Lois had always been amazed by Clark's hearing abilities. There had been more than one occasion that they had even seemed superhuman.

"Clark! Hi! I wasn't expecting you until seven. Jason, can you go help Clark with his bags?" she said as she finished tucking in the sheets.

"Actually, this is all I have." Clark said uncomfortably.

"Oh. Nevermind then. Clark, dinner will be ready in an hour. Until then, Jason can show you around. I'll be in the study if you need me." she said, hoping to sidestep the embarrassment Clark had over his few belongings.

"I think I can find my way around. Why don't we start on those piano lessons instead?" he offered.

Jason's face lit up at the suggestion and he began dragging Clark by his arm out the door. Clark looked back at Lois and gave a quick smile and a shrug before he was out of sight.

Lois rolled her eyes and headed for the study. The house seemed empty without Richard. He had kept his promise by leaving for London and picking up his things before she had returned from work. He left a short note explaining that he would call Jason when he landed, but left no personal messages for Lois. She reminded herself for the millionth time that what she did was the best for both of them.

Lois then remembered how she had left Superman alone at the pier last night, and began thinking how she could make it up to him. She wanted to do something to take his breath away like he had done so often for her. The question was, "What is more amazing than Superman?"


	6. Chapter 6

Lois looked at herself in the mirror one more time. She wanted to make sure she looked perfect for tonight. Her hair was pinned down on one side of her face, but it flowed down freely on the other. Her make-up was simple except for her deep red lipstick, which only helped to compliment the black cocktail dress that barely reached her knees.

After she was satisfied with her appearance, she slipped into her short black heels and stepped out onto the balcony. She welcomed the light breeze as it slightly soothed her nerves, and then closed her eyes and whispered "I hope this works."

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Clark stared at the ceiling as he lay on his bed with his arms behind his head. He still couldn't believe he was in Lois' house. He had spent most of the evening getting to know Jason. They had played the piano for awhile before dinner, and even had time for some card games as well.

Throughout the meal, he and Lois had reminisced over some of their more memorable reporting adventures (most of which ended with Superman saving the day). Jason seemed enthralled with any story involving the high-flying superhero. His excitement made Clark secretly proud that he impressed his son, and he only wished he could share with Jason that he was equally proud of his accomplishments.

Clark sat up and leaned to pull out his super suit from under the bed. He had been waiting to see if anyone would knock on his door before he decided to take his usual flight out into the night sky.

After he changed his clothes, he floated silently over to the window and undid the latch as quietly as possible. He was only about fifty feet in the air when he heard Lois calling from the other end of the house.

"Superman!" she said barely above a whisper. "Superman!"

Clark took a moment to consider if it was wise to answer the call, but he quickly flew over as he realized how desperately he wanted an explanation for last night.

He made sure to make it look like he had flown from a different direction as he descended next to the balcony with his arms crossed.

"Good evening Lois." he said without any emotion.

She looked as though she had planned to say something, but had forgotten how to speak at the sight of him actually being there.

"You came." she said as she finally broke the silence.

"Lois, a part of me will always hear you." he said as he looked towards his feet that just happened to be suspended twelve feet above the ground. "Now, is there something I can help you…?"

"I broke it off with Richard." she blurted out.

Clark tried to look as surprised as possible even though he had known this information for over a day. When he didn't say anything, she continued.

"I did it for you. No matter how hard I try to convince myself otherwise, I never stopped loving you."

He could tell this was hard for her to say because her voice cracked slightly and her eyes began to fill with tears. He was too overwhelmed to move.

"That is why I couldn't meet you at the pier. It was too much to deal with all at once. I needed some time."

"Lois, I don't know what to say." he stammered as he dropped his arms.

She then met his eyes. "Don't say anything. I want to show you something."

He hesitated, unsure of how to process everything she had just revealed.

"Please." she said softly.

He slowly raised himself up and over the balcony so that he was standing next to her.

"Follow me." she said as she took his hand and led him to the middle of her room.

"Close your eyes and wait here." she said as she let go of his hand and walked towards the wall. He heard her turn off the lights and then walk back towards him.

"Okay. Open your eyes." she whispered.

Clark gasped as he stared at the walls and ceiling. Lois had covered the room with glow in the dark stars. She watched for his reaction as she stood in front of him with a single lit candle.

"You always take me to such amazing heights in the clouds. I thought I could take you to the stars." she smiled.

Clark was touched by the gesture. No one had ever done anything like this for him. He reached out his hand slowly and took the candle from Lois. He placed it on her dresser and then turned to face her again.

She looked so innocent standing alone in the center of the room. He closed the distance between them in two strides and placed one hand on her cheek before leaning in to meet her lips.

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Their kiss started out soft, but soon deepened as their passion grew. Superman let his hands lower as he pulled her closer. She began running her fingers through his hair before slightly pulling away. She moved so that she was standing behind him.

Lois then slowly, but deliberately, began pulling his suit down over his arms. She stopped at his waist and began sliding her hands over the curves of his back. She kissed his shoulders softly as his muscles tightened and he took in a sharp breath.

When her fingers grazed the kryptonite wound on his back, she let out a little gasp. Superman was supposed to be the man of steel, yet there was still a faint scar from the mysterious rock. He seemed to sense her surprise and started to turn around.

"Don't." she found herself saying. She leaned down and kissed the scar before continuing to take off his suit. When she was finished, he stepped out of the clothes now at his feet and turned around as Lois raised her arms into the air. He quickly got the message and lightly pulled her dress up and over her head. He seemed pleasantly surprised that she hadn't been wearing anything under the dress as she stepped back out of her shoes.

She could tell his patience was fading as he closed the distance between them one last time. He swiftly lifted her up and laid her on the bed. He then lowered himself on top of her and leaned into her ear. "I love you, Lois." he whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Clark awoke a little before 5 am. He smiled as he realized last night had not been a dream. His arms were gracefully around Lois as she snored quietly next to him. She looked so peaceful that he did not have the heart to wake her and explain that he had to leave. Instead, he slowly rustled away from her, silently put on his suit, and flew out the window. He returned minutes later to leave a single red rose on her pillow. He grazed her cheek with his hand once more, and then quickly went back to his room in the house and got dressed again in his usual outfit for work at the Daily Planet.

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Lois' alarm rudely woke her up at 5:15. She slammed her palm down on the snooze button, and then rolled over to see if Superman was still next to her. She sighed when she saw the rose left on the pillow.

"Always a romantic." she giggled as she picked up the flower and placed it on her dresser while she got ready for work.

Lois was picking out which shoes to wear when her alarm sounded again at 5:30. She rushed over to turn it off again, but paused when she began to smell pancakes.

"What the…?" she began to say after finally switching the alarm to off. She walked slowly downstairs and into the kitchen to find Jason already dressed for school and staring at the stack of pancakes in front of him.

"Mom!" he shouted as he ran to hug her. "Look what Clark made."

"Clark?" she asked.

"Good morning, Lois." Clark said as he retrieved the syrup from the microwave. "Pancakes?" he offered.

"Clark, you know Jason can't eat this stuff. He's allergic to almost everything."

He laughed and then said "Yes, I know. I prepared one of his shakes for him five minutes ago. The pancakes were for you."

She looked down at Jason as he smiled back at her. "See Mom. I told him how you always prepare it." He held up the shake proudly and then walked back to his seat at the table.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you Clark." Lois managed to say as she sat down and placed a couple pancakes on her plate.

"Please. It's the least I could do after you gave me a place to stay." He gave her his token half smile and handed her the maple syrup. "Go ahead and dig in. I'll just finish making Jason's lunch and then I'll have a couple myself."

Lois' eyes widened a little. She was so surprised that Clark was helping out so much after only half a day of living with her and Jason.

"I could get used to this." she thought as she took the first bite of her pancakes.

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"Lois!" Perry yelled from the conference room.

Lois practically jumped at the sound of his voice. Her thoughts had drifted back to her unforgettable night with Superman more than once today, and Perry had interrupted a rather realistic reenactment in her mind.

"I'm coming Chief!" she yelled back as she walked over to the conference room.

After she closed the door, Perry began chastising her about not getting the latest scoop on Superman's most recent save.

"He captured ten criminals in under a minute during that bank heist yesterday afternoon. I told you I wanted that story for the front page this morning, and now we will be lucky if it makes the afternoon addition. What exactly were you doing last night instead of writing that article?"

Lois choked at the thought. "Uh, I was taking care of Jason. He, um, had a cold."

"Oh. Well, is Jason here now?" he asked in almost a whisper.

"No Chief. He's at…" she began.

"THEN WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING?" he yelled again. Lois knew she had no excuse to give Perry. He was in one of those moods where you just had to give him what he wanted without questions.

"I'm on it." she said and turned around to leave.

"Lois, wait." he said in a surprisingly calm tone. "I'm sorry I went off like that. I know you're under a lot of stress with Richard leaving. We just all have to leave our personal issues outside and focus on the paper when we are here."

"I know. I'm sorry for flaking. I'll get it down to the printer in a half hour so that it will make the afternoon addition." she said and then walked out to Clark's desk.

"Clark. Can I ask you a big favor?" she said in the sweetest voice she could come up with.

"Sure. Anything." he said as he stuffed some papers into a folder.

"Look, Perry is gonna keep me here until I finish that article on Superman. I'm supposed to pick Jason up in fifteen minutes. Do you think you could swing by the school and get him today?" she asked hopefully.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take a cab over there in a minute. Let me just pack up my stuff. I can write the rest of my articles at the house and email them to Perry tonight."

"Oh Clark, you're a lifesaver!" she said as she flung her arms around him and kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"You have no idea." he thought to himself.

"Okay. Well I will be home as soon as I can. Feel free to order anything you want for dinner. I have a pile of takeout menus in the kitchen. And here…" she said as she grabbed her keys, "Take my car. I'll take a cab home."

He took the keys from her and then headed for the elevator. He turned around to say he'd see her tonight, but she already looked deep in thought as she typed. "Hopefully parts of those thoughts are about Superman." he mused as the elevator doors closed in front of him.

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"Your move." Jason quipped as he stared at the chess board.

"You're tougher than I thought." Clark said with a small laugh. He had to admit that Jason's chess skills were pretty advanced for a five-year-old.

Lois had called around 6 to say she wouldn't be home until closer to 8. Apparently there had been some new story about the senator that just couldn't wait until tomorrow. Clark understood that she had to stay because he knew firsthand how stubborn Perry was. He had gone ahead and ordered Chinese for him and Jason, and agreed to play chess when Jason had asked him a half hour ago. With only two pawns and a king left, Clark was trying desperately to survive Jason's strategic attacks.

"Clark?" Jason said, breaking his concentration. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. But if your asking how I will get out of this game alive, I'm afraid I don't have an answer." he laughed.

Jason smiled briefly, but then continued in a more serious tone. "When are you gonna tell Mommy that you're Superman?"

Clark gaped at his son, not at all prepared for what he had just stated.

"Um, uh, what are you talking about?" he stammered.

"You're Superman. You have super strength and can fly faster than a speeding bullet, right?"

"Jason, maybe I should be getting you to bed. I think you're delirious." Clark said quickly as he scooped the kid into his arms.

Before Clark could stop him, Jason took off his glasses and held them behind his back. "See, I was right. You are Superman."

Clark stopped walking and tried to think of something to say to defend himself. Jason then put the glasses back on and put his arms around Clark's neck.

"It's ok. I won't tell anyone. I just wondered why you haven't told Mommy since she loves Superman." He pulled away and looked at Clark again.

"Jason, how did you find out?" Clark asked amazed.

"I saw the "S" under your suit." he said as if it was nothing.

Clark still felt frozen in place. Jason was already developing X-ray vision. He hadn't developed that power until he was a teenager. He began to wonder just how long it would be before his son was flying in the air.

"Clark? Are you okay?" Jason asked concerned.

"I'm fine. I just…I didn't realize you knew. How long have you been able to see through things?"

"I didn't see through anything." he smiled. "I saw you changing in the alley one day when Dad had me in his office."

Clark sighed with relief. He was glad to hear Jason wasn't coming into his powers to early. Clark had felt like every time he developed a new ability he lost some of his childhood. He figured since Jason had used the word "dad" when talking about Richard that he had not figured out Clark's relation to him.

"Clark! Jason!" Lois called as she opened the door.

Clark quickly looked at Jason, but he was way ahead of him.

"I told you I will keep it a secret. I promise. Goodnight Clark." he whispered and then disappeared upstairs.

"Clark. There you are." Lois said as she entered the living room. "Where is Jason?"

"Uh, he got tired and went to bed." he said as he began to put the chess game away.

"Oh. Well, I'm pretty tired, too. I think I'm going to turn in early." She did her best impression of a big yawn and then practically ran upstairs.

"Turn in early. Sure." Clark chuckled to himself. He knew she was secretly hoping Superman would show up at her room again. He was secretly hoping he would be able to as well, but right now all he could think about was Jason. He still was processing the new revelation that Jason knew he was Superman.

Something else Jason said also stuck with him.

"I just wondered why you haven't told Mommy since she loves Superman."

"He's right." Clark thought. I can't keep up this charade when her feelings are on the line. If she can't love Superman and Clark, then there is no point taking this any further.

"I can't see her as Superman again until she knows who I am." he said aloud and then went up to bed.

He hated having to ignore her calls for him at the balcony that night, but he was too busy planning how he would tell her.


	8. Chapter 8

Lois stared at her alarm clock. It would begin buzzing in three minutes. She obviously didn't need the wake-up call; she hadn't slept almost at all last night.

She turned off the alarm before it sounded and reluctantly began to get ready. She had been so disappointed that Superman hadn't shown up on her balcony when she had called for him. Of course she knew she didn't own him, but a part of her was unhappy with sharing him with the rest of the world.

Lois had spent most of the night flipping through channels on the TV hoping to see Superman saving the world from another huge disaster. At least then she would be at peace knowing that he had something more important to do. Unfortunately, all that appeared on the news was a Dateline exclusive on some questionable meat.

"Why didn't he want to be with me?" she thought as she picked out a matching skirt and shirt for the day. "Did I do something wrong?"

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Like Lois, Clark hadn't slept very well either. Ignoring her calls was almost unbearable when what he really wanted to do was experience another night like the one before. He had tried to escape to his quiet place where he hovered over the earth amidst the stars, but as usual, he could easily pick out Lois' voice among those of the planet's population.

By around 4 am, he finally returned to the house with the resolve to tell Lois the truth tonight. He wouldn't try to do anything extravagant because he realized she would only want him to be honest without putting on a big show. He would arrange for Jason to spend the night at a friend's house and then have a long talk with Lois.

He could only hope that she would be able to forgive him for all these years of lying.

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"Jason! Time to go!" Lois yelled as she walked towards the bathroom in the hall. "Jason, I'm going to be late for work." she yelled again as she opened the door, but was immediately surprised to see a full grown man instead of her five-year-old son.

"Oh my god. Clark!" she said as she gaped at him standing there brushing his teeth. She had forgotten that he was sharing Jason's bathroom. Walking in on Clark brushing his teeth would have been nothing, but he just happened to have just stepped out of the shower and was currently wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. She blushed at the mistake.

"Lois!" Clark almost shouted as he dropped his toothbrush and fumbled for his glasses. Lois thought that was an odd thing to be concerned about for someone half-naked.

"Clark, I'm sorry. I thought Jason was in here. I'm leaving soon to drop him off before I head over to the Planet. You can come with us if you want."

"I'll just take a cab. Perry wanted me in early to discuss the Luther story." he said as he crossed and un-crossed his arms uncomfortably. "Let me just get my clothes and I'll finish changing in my room."

He turned around to pick up his clothes and Lois couldn't help but admire his physique. His body was more muscular than she had expected, though she never really thought about what Clark's body looked like under his out-dated suits. She allowed herself a quick smile over the idea of admiring Clark as ridiculous as it sounded.

"Clark, it's okay. I'll leave and go get…" but it was then that the small scar on Clark's back caught her eye. It was less than an inch long and was just prominent enough to see. She would have known that mark anywhere.

"Oh my god." she whispered.

"Lois?" he asked as he turned around confused. "Is something wrong?"

Lois' heart was pounding. She couldn't possibly be right. She was trying desperately to say anything, but she could only look at him in disbelief.

"Mommy! I'm ready. We can go now." Jason said as he took her hand. "Good morning Clark."

"Hi Jason. I was just getting dressed. Excuse me." And with that he brushed past Lois with his clothes in hand and headed back to his room.

"Mommy, we're going to be late." Jason pushed.

Lois was now aware that she was still staring where Clark was moments ago. She took in a deep breath and shook her head slightly. "Ok, let me just get my bag."

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The curser blinked on the screen as Lois stared at her computer. She was kidding herself when she actually thought she would be able to act like nothing was wrong today. She had made more spelling errors than normal, spilled her coffee twice, and had made five fake trips to the bathroom in order to avoid Clark. Lucky for her, he had mysteriously disappeared around noon after the report of the mudslide in Brazil came through on CNN. When the anchor reported that Superman had arrived on the scene, she had thrown up her hands and merely said "Of course."

That was a few hours ago, so she assumed Clark would be returning soon. "Time to go down to the vending machine." she said quietly aloud.

"Do you want me to get you something?" Clark asked as he popped up next to her desk.

Lois turned around, startled. Every time she looked at Clark now she wanted to scream at herself for being so stupid. Those clear blue eyes, strong jaw line, tall posture, and jet black hair seemed now to be such obvious identical features to Superman. She hated herself for being so blind.

"No Clark. I think I can manage to get some M&Ms on my own." She hoped that her spunky tone was able to hide her mixed emotions because right now she had both the urge to hit him and get lost in his embrace.

"Oh, Lois. Before you go, I wanted to ask if pizza was okay for tonight. Jason mentioned spending the night at his friend's house, so I thought that would give us some time to talk." She noticed that his eyes averted themselves to the floor at that last part.

"Talk about what?" she asked, her interest piqued.

"Oh, you know. You asked me about where I went these last years. I thought it was about time that I finally tell you." he said as he flashed her one of those dorky, but charming smiles.

"Alright. Pizza sounds fine." She walked away before he could say anything else. She wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to keep her cool in his presence.

When she got to the vending machine, she grasped the top of it and rested her head on the frame. She was hurt by the fact that Clark would really make up an entire story about his vacation and continue to lie to her. Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of being deceived.

"I thought it was about time I finally tell you." Clark's words echoed in her head.

"Wait," she began to think, "Maybe he isn't going to make up a story about African Safaris in the Serengeti. Maybe, just maybe, he will tell me the truth."

The thought quickly raised her spirits as she wiped her eyes. She punched a few buttons on the machine as the M&Ms clunked down to the bottom slot.

As she walked back upstairs, she was stopped by another thought. Superman was the love of her life, but could she really feel the same way about Clark Kent? It seemed impossible, but she didn't want to make up her mind just yet.


	9. Chapter 9

Lois found herself once again standing in front of her house fumbling with her keys. She was just as anxious as she had been before her confrontation with Richard, but then at least she had known in her heart how things would turn out. Now she was at a loss. She thought she might burn the doorknob off with her eyes because she was staring at it so intently.

"What am I so afraid of?" she asked herself. But inside she knew the answer. Despite her daring attitude and strength of character, she was still like every other girl in the world. She wanted someone to love that could return that love in every way imaginable. She thought Superman was that person, but the idea that Clark and Superman were the same person was unreal. How could she think that she could care about someone so deeply when she was practically neglecting him half the time?

The thoughts of how she had treated Clark in the past made her wince. He had always been so kind to her by helping her with anything she needed and listening when she needed so desperately to talk to someone. In return she had written him off as "just some guy I work with."

"How could you be so stupid?" she thought as she buried her face in her hand. "I was so blind."

"Hi Lois!" Clark exclaimed as he strode up beside her. "I decided to get the pizza myself, since it was cheaper than delivery." He paused for a moment when he realized she was just staring at the door. "What's on your mind?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing. I was just enjoying the breeze. Let's go inside." She quickly undid the lock and ushered Clark inside. She took a moment to put her bag down and hang up her coat in the closet before joining Clark in the kitchen.

Neither one of them spoke much at dinner. Clark was going over how he would get the words out that he was Superman, and Lois was trying to sort out her feelings concerning the whole situation. It wasn't until the rest of the pizza was put away for leftovers that Clark broke the silence and suggested they talk in the living room.

Lois' breathing quickened. She tried to make herself comfortable on the couch, but she was so nervous that she was practically shaking. "Ok Clark, what do you want to talk about?"

He seemed to look as nervous as she felt. He was sitting in the chair opposite her, but soon got up and walked toward the window so that he was facing away from her.

"Lois, all this time I have wanted to be so many things for you. I've tried to be a great partner for you to work with and a best friend when you need someone to listen to you. Despite my efforts to ever develop a relationship, you always seem to push me away. At least, that is how I felt in the beginning."

He stared down to his feet, and then seemed to find the strength to turn around and meet her eyes.

"It wasn't until I returned that I realized I was just as stubborn as you. I constantly push you away every day because I was afraid you would run away if you knew the truth."

Lois was barely aware that her eyes had filled with tears. She wanted him to finish, so she did her best to hold back her emotions by blinking away the tears.

"I thought that when I saw how happy you were with Richard that I had lost you. I thought that because I hadn't let you in to that secret part of my life, you had decided to be with someone who would share everything with you. I don't want to make that mistake again. I want you to know me. All of me."

He had now knelt down in front of her. He looked down again, and slowly took his glasses off and placed them on the end table. Clark slowly raised his head and opened his eyes. He then took her hand and spoke the words Lois had silently been hoping to hear.

"Lois, I am Superman."

His touch caused a spark in Lois she had felt only once before with someone else. The warmth that coursed through her body overwhelmed her, and the tears began to slowly fall down her face.

"I know." she whispered as she touched his cheek.

"What?" he asked as he pulled away from her. "When? How?'

"This morning when I saw you in the bathroom I noticed the scar on your back. I may have been oblivious for years, but I would know that mark anywhere. It stunned me the same way it did the other night." By now her tears began to stop as the reality of the situation began to sink in. They were no longer caught up in a romantic moment, but were instead trying to overcome the lies each had started.

Clark stood up and let out a huge sigh. "I'm sorry. I wanted to be the one to tell you."

"Really? How many opportunities did you have to tell me? Clark, we work together, live together," her voice faded a little as she said the last part, "made love together."

Clark turned to look at her. "Clark, you have been lying to me for so long. I trusted you. How could you keep something like that from me?"

"I wanted to tell you. You don't realize how much it hurt to have you in my arms at one moment, and have you overlook me the next. I was afraid if I told you the truth, I wouldn't be able to be with you at all. You see Lois, being with you part of the time is better than not having you in my life at all."

"Don't do that Clark. Don't say the perfect thing when I'm mad at you. You hurt me. You hurt me when I never thought you could." She stared into his eyes to glare at the man who had hidden the truth from her all this time, but she could not find him. Instead, she realized she was staring into the eyes of the man who loved her for everything that she was.

But it wasn't this revelation that caught her off guard. Her mouth dropped open a little as she realized they were the eyes of the man she loved completely, too. It didn't matter if he was in tights or a suit. A clumsy reporter or a superhero. She loved the man.

"Lois, I'm so sorry for everything I have put you through. I just thought you should know the truth, and that I love you." When she didn't say anything he walked towards the window.

"I guess there is nothing left to say." he said as he started to fly out the window. "Goodnight Lois."

Lois willed herself to move; to stop the love of her life before he flew away forever. But instead of telling him to stop, she surprised herself by calling out "I love you, too."

He lowered himself back down on the floor and slowly turned around. "You what?" he whispered.

"I…I love you." she repeated. He began to walk towards her until there was less than an inch between them. He slowly lifted his hand and wiped away the last tear that fell down her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her lightly and then pulled away.

Lois flashed back to the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast" that her sister Lucy made her watch every morning during her princess phase. The part when Belle looks into the eyes of the man at the end and realizes that he is the man she fell in love with was particularly poignant to her now. She simply looked into Clark's eyes and smiled as she ran her hand through his hair.

He leaned in and kissed her forehead as he whispered "Hold on tight." She grabbed hold of his strong arms as he lifted her up and floated towards the window. They glided higher and higher until they were enveloped by the clouds of the night sky.

When she was aware that they had stopped, she leaned back ever so slightly so that she could look into his eyes once more. He just stared back at her with admiration and love that made her feel whole in a way she had never experienced. This time she initiated the kiss as she moved her arms around his neck. The kiss seemed to last forever. They were both so perfectly content that neither wanted to end it. It was not until the wind picked up slightly and Lois shivered that Clark pulled away.

He hugged her tightly and then glided back down to the balcony in front of her bedroom.

"I guess we have a lot to figure out." she said as she let go of him. "How are we going to tell Jason?"

"He knows." Clark said. "He told me last night. He saw me change into Superman one day, but he promised me he had kept the secret to himself. I don't know him very well yet, but I do love him. And because of that love, I trust that he hasn't said anything."

"Wow. Even my son could see what I was blind to." Lois said as she collapsed on the bed. "He doesn't know that you are his father, right?"

"No. I figured I shouldn't tell him without talking with you first." He sat down next to her on the bed and placed one arm around her shoulders. She nestled her head into his neck and kissed it softly.

"Thank you. It's something we should probably tell him together."

"Yeah, it is going to be hard enough on him anyway." Clark gazed straight ahead as he worried about how Jason would react to the news. He didn't want to push his son away just when he was starting to get to know him.

"Clark, look at me." Lois said as she placed one hand on his cheek and turned his head to face her. "We will get through this."

He took her hand in his and kissed it before he embraced her again.

She kissed his cheek and then said softly "But I think we're both pretty tired from everything that just happened. Can we just sleep on it?"

He gave her a small smile and got up to leave. "Sure. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Clark?" she said as he glanced back at her. "Could you just stay with me?"

He didn't answer but instead covered her up with the comforter and kissed her goodnight. She thought he was going to leave, but he simply took off his shoes and then got under the comforter on the other side. He slid over and wrapped his arms around her as they both drifted off to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Lois awoke to find herself nestled under Clark's arm with one hand lightly on his chest. She smiled and did her best not to move. She didn't want to ruin the moment by waking Clark.

Somehow they had made it through the last couple days at work and were finally able to have some time to relax over the weekend. Although a calm weekend sounded perfect, Lois knew it would be far from relaxing. She and Clark had decided to tell Jason today about who his father was. They both agreed that they should make him as comfortable as possible beforehand, so they had planned a picnic in the backyard for the afternoon. Lois had stayed up late last night to make the sandwiches, but was pleasantly surprised when Clark had flown in her window early that morning and joined her. She was awake when he came in, but somehow was eased back into sleep at the warmth of his arms around her. She had to admit that she had never felt more safe and happy than when she was with him.

As Lois once again let herself smile at her happiness, Clark's eyes slowly fluttered open. He looked at her and mirrored her expression.

"Good morning Lois. How did you sleep?" he asked as he kissed her forehead.

She turned over slightly so that she was looking at him directly. She softly kissed his lips and whispered "Perfectly." as she looked at him. Lois then positioned herself so that she was on top of him and began kissing his neck. She paused for a moment and asked "And how did you sleep Clark?" before she continued to kiss his neck and move down to his chest.

"Do you have to ask?" he said playfully as he gently pulled her up so that they were face to face. He put his hand behind her neck and slowly drew her in for another kiss. His tongue wrapped around hers as she began to drift away from the real world and get completely lost in Clark's embrace.

They slowly rolled over so that he was now on top of her, but they never broke the kiss. Her body shivered in excitement. They had not been intimate since he had revealed himself to her, but even mere days apart had made the tension between them electrifying.

"Oh Clark." she moaned as he began to leave a trail of kisses down her chest.

"Mommy!" Jason said as he knocked on the door.

Clark jerked up and looked at Lois. "Hide!" she whispered to him as loudly as possible.

In a second Clark was gone. Lois felt the whoosh of air that usually followed Superman's disappearances, and quickly matted down her hair and adjusted her nightgown. "What is it honey?" she called.

Jason came in and sat on the foot of her bed. "I called Daddy this morning. I asked if I could ever go visit him in London for a few days because I miss him. He said I had to ask you if it was alright."

"I'm sure we could arrange a trip during your break from school that is coming up, but that won't be for another week." she said, as she stared around the room wondering where Clark had chosen to hide.

"Thanks mom. I'll call dad tomorrow and ask if that will be okay. I'm going to go see if Clark wants to play chess again." he said as he slid off the bed and walked toward the door.

"No!" Lois yelled. Jason stopped abruptly at her voice and turned around.

"Mommy, are you feeling okay?" he asked as he looked at her.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just…I think Clark went out for a run." she blurted out.

"Mom, I don't think Clark runs. He probably wanted to fly."

She laughed at this. Lois had confided in Jason that she knew of Clark's secret identity, too, but it was still hard to get used to the truth

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Why don't you go set up the chess board so that when he comes back, you will be all ready to play?"

He seemed satisfied with this suggestion and went bouncing downstairs to get the game. Lois got up quickly and shut the door as Clark emerged from the window.

"That was close." he said as he walked back into the room. "I was floating right next to the window's edge." he explained quickly when he registered the confused look on her face.

"Yeah." she laughed as she began making the bed.

"Here, let me." he said as he pushed her aside lightly. Lois watched in amazement how fast he was able to assemble the bed. In less than three seconds it looked as perfect as the fake bed models you see in department stores. "Wow." she breathed.

He stepped up to her and gave her a quick kiss before going back to his room.

She sighed and leaned up against the wall to take everything in for a moment before resuming her usual morning routine.

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Jason had just finished the last of the picnic food as Lois and Clark shared a nervous glance. It was now or never.

"Jason, honey, we need to talk about something important." Lois began.

Jason didn't respond, but it was clear that he was prepared to listen to whatever they had to say.

"Do you remember when we were on that ship, and you saved me from the bad man?" she asked, knowing that he would of course remember such a traumatic event.

"Yeah, I pushed the piano at him because he was going to hurt you." he said quietly, almost ashamed.

"Sweetie, you did the right thing. There was nothing wrong with you protecting me." she said quickly to assure him.

Clark then felt it was his turn to chime in. "I felt the same way a lot when I was younger. I feel that way sometimes even now. With that much power, you have to make important decisions. We were not meant to choose who lives and dies, and it is difficult when we have no control."

"But I killed that man. How could I kill him? I'm not you. I'm not Superman." he said, even quieter than before.

"But you are my _son_." Clark said firmly.

Jason took in a sharp breath and looked at his mother for an explanation. She could only offer him a slight nod, confirming the truth in what Clark had just said.

"But Richard is my dad." he said hoping to convince them otherwise.

"Yes he is, Jason." Lois said. "He has taken care of you since you were born, and will love you until the day he dies. But Clark is your real father. I think you know that somewhere deep in your heart."

Jason considered this for a moment as he stared down at the grass. He remembered that day in the hospital. While his mother had gone to talk to Superman, he had been drawn to Clark's suit. As he traced his hand over the red "S," he felt like it was calling to him, telling him that one day the symbol would be a part of his life as well. Now he knew why.

He slowly tilted his head back up and looked over at Clark. "Will I be able to fly like you?" he asked.

"Someday." Clark smiled at him. "In fact…" he started to say as he pulled Jason up into his arms, "How about a quick preview?"

He gracefully floated up into the air and flew with Jason across the water for a minute while Lois gazed out happily from the dock. When they returned, he put Jason down and then proceeded to knelt beside him. "I promise to be here for you to help you deal with everything you will face. I always wished I could have had someone that really understood what I was going through growing up. It would have made everything a lot easier. But you will learn and get used to the changes with me by your side."

"You will make my strength your own." Jason said as he looked into Clark's eyes. "I thought I was dreaming, but you were there. You told me that."

"Yes." Clark said as Lois put a hand on his shoulder.

Jason didn't say anymore, but instead leaned in and hugged Clark.

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Later that day…

"Can I help you with something sir?" the clerk asked as he watched the customer wander around the store.

"Yes, actually." Clark replied. "I'd like to see your engagement rings."


	11. Chapter 11

"Lois! Clark! Get in here!" Perry yelled from the door of his office. Both reporters hustled over and took a seat in front of his desk. "I have a big assignment for the two of you." he began.

"What is it Chief?" Lois asked, intrigued.

"The president is planning a trip to Paris this weekend in an attempt to improve relations overseas. A representative from the White House called and asked if I could send someone to cover the trip from the _Daily Planet_. I tried to choose only one of you, but Kent, you're very good with the world news articles, and Lois, you have always been skilled at covering anything related to politics. I feel my best choice is to send you both. Now Lois, I know you hate working with a partner, but…" the Chief tried to say before she could argue, but she interrupted him anyway.

"It's fine Chief. I'd love to go with Clark." The surprise on the Chief's face quickly reminded Lois of how no one knew of her romance with Clark. They had decided together to keep their relationship a secret for now because they were just figuring it out themselves. "I mean, running around after the president in Paris alone might get a little dull."

The Chief looked at her suspiciously, but didn't seem to have the energy to argue. "Well, good. Here are your tickets. You leave tomorrow morning. I can make arrangements for Jason to go, too, if you can't find someone to watch him, Lois."

"Actually, he left for London yesterday. He is spending the week with Richard."

"Perfect. Kent, are you okay with this arrangement? You haven't said a word yet."

"Oh, you know me. Whatever you need me to cover, I'm there." he said smiling. "I was just thinking about how nice it will be to see Paris again." This time he smiled at Lois.

"Ok. Well, you two get back to work. Just because you're leaving the country tomorrow doesn't mean you have the rest of the day off." Lois and Clark quickly rose from their seats and exited the office.

"Clark, can you help me get some boxes out of the storage room?" Lois asked innocently.

"What would you need out of the storage room?" he asked, completely oblivious.

"Just come on." she said as she yanked his tie in her direction. He caught on and followed her.

Once Lois closed the storage room door, she flicked on the light and turned to face Clark. "Can you believe it? A weekend in Paris!" she exclaimed as she took his hands in hers.

"I know." he said quietly. "Just you and me." He hugged her gently around the waist as she looked up at him.

"Well, we will have to do something about these separate rooms." she teased.

"Oh, really now?" he said before kissing her softly.

"Mmm. I've wanted to do this all day." she whispered before meeting his lips once more.

"Hey! Have you seen Lois?" they both heard Jimmy ask outside the door.

Clark sighed and rested his forehead against hers. She knew how he felt and stole one more kiss before he pulled away and attempted to grab a box from the top shelf.

"Is this the box you wanted, Lois?" he asked in his usual dorky manner just as Jimmy opened the door.

"Oh! Here you are!" Jimmy said as he walked in. "I have those files you wanted from the archives." He handed Lois the manila folders as Clark finished retrieving the box of pencils.

"Oh, Clark. I changed my mind. I'll just use my pen." She said briskly as she walked past Jimmy. She turned briefly and winked at him behind Jimmy's back before returning to her desk.

Jimmy shrugged at Clark, and then left the room as well.

Clark rolled his eyes as he put the box way and slowly pushed the door until it was almost shut. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black velvet box. He flipped it open and stared at the small platinum band with the single diamond centered at the top.

Clark had lied when he was talking to Perry. He had not been silent during the short meeting because he was excited to see Paris again; his thoughts had instead been focused on the idea of proposing to Lois in the foreign city. Clark gazed down at the ring for a few more moments before shutting the box and returning it to his pocket.

"I just hope she says yes." he thought as he turned off the light and left the storage room.

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Lois zipped up her suitcase as she watched the live news report about the fire in a downtown Metropolis apartment building.

"The fire has been burning for twenty minutes now. We have been informed that there are still two women trapped in the building, but firefighters are unable to reach them at this…Wait! What's that?" The camera quickly shifted to the sky. "It's Superman!" the anchor almost yelled in excitement.

Lois watched as Superman floated down with the two elderly women clinging to his sides. He placed them gently on the ground a moment later next to the news anchor. Superman then blew the fire out within seconds, gave a quick nod to the crowd, and flew off into the night. Only minutes later he was back at Lois' window.

"Looks like you saved the day again." she said happily as she gestured towards the news report still showing on the TV. She started to giggle, though, when she saw his face.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Wait right there." she said before rushing off to the bathroom. She returned with a damp washcloth and slowly rubbed it against his cheek. "You have a rather large smudge of soot on your cheek." she said as she started to laugh a little again. In just a couple weeks the two of them had become rather comfortable with each other.

"Oh." he said as he laughed at himself.

"There. All clean." she said as she went to put the washcloth back in the bathroom. When she returned to the bedroom, Clark had already changed into his flannel pajama pants and white t-shirt, and was trying to fold up his super suit to fit in his suitcase.

"Give it to me." she offered. As she began refolding the cape, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her stomach. He kissed her briefly on the cheek.

"I can't wait for this weekend." he whispered into her ear before beginning to kiss her neck.

She let herself lean back against him slightly as she finished folding the suit. "Me neither." she sighed before completely succumbing to his embrace.


	12. Chapter 12

Clark glanced down at his watch for the tenth time in the last hour. They still had two hours left until they landed in Paris, but he had become restless during the first thirty minutes of the flight. Once a person has flown around the world in minutes, a plane seems like an obnoxiously slow way to travel. He had hoped he would be able to fly Lois over himself, but it would have been too suspicious if Perry had checked up on their status and seen that they had never checked in at the airport.

At that moment he looked over at Lois who was fast asleep beside him. He couldn't believe he was really going to propose to her this weekend. He had read over their itinerary to figure out when they would have some time alone. Unfortunately, the President was cramming in over ten different individual visits a day. He and Lois would be forced to follow him from seven each morning until about nine in the evening. That would allow for a late dinner, but he expected they would both be fairly exhausted.

Lois shifted in her seat so that she was now laying her head on Clark's shoulder. He tenderly brushed a piece of her hair out of her face, and then leaned his head gently against hers. He knew he would find a way to make time for Lois. He had to.

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By the time Lois stepped off the plane, it was already a couple hours into the evening in Paris. Despite taking a rather long nap on the plane, she was still pretty tired. She and Clark retrieved their luggage from baggage claim and then took a cab over to the hotel. They found their rooms were adjoining, and opted not to get a single room because they were practically together anyway.

"Well, I think I'm going to turn in." she said as she went to change into her pajamas.

"Really? I'm wide awake. Maybe I'll do a quick fly over the city." She knew he wanted to stretch his legs, so the kissed him goodbye and watched him fly away.

Lois walked over to her suitcase, and almost tripped over Clark's clothes. He had simply shed them on the floor when he had changed into Superman. She folded up his shirt and slacks and placed them in his suitcase, and then began hanging his coat over the armchair. She heard a faint thud, and looked down to see a small black velvet box lying next to the chair leg.

"What the..?" she began to say as she picked it up. She slowly flipped open the box, and gasped as she saw the sparkling diamond ring inside. A million thoughts began running her head. "Is he going to propose? Is it too soon? What will everyone else think? What will I say?" The answer to the first question was obviously yes, but the rest of her questions did not have that clear of an answer. She had only broken up with Richard weeks ago, but she also knew in her heart that Clark was the love of her life. As to what everyone else would think, she assumed that Clark hadn't been planning on telling everyone because of their pact to keep things a secret for the time being.

She wasn't sure how long Clark planned on being gone, so she quickly returned the small box to his coat pocket and continued to get ready for bed. When she went to lie down, her mind was once again filling up with concerns. She knew she would never be able to sleep now, but tried to appear like she was when Clark returned. He slipped in silently, and soon she felt the familiar warmth of his arm around her. She desperately wanted to reveal that she knew about the ring, but she did her best to appear completely relaxed.

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As they awaited the President's arrival at the Louvre, Clark noticed Lois was fidgeting with her watch.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"What? Yes." she said and immediately put her arms at her sides.

"Are you sure?" he asked again as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

She tensed up a bit at the gesture, which took him a little off guard. She didn't respond, but instead pointed at the limo pulling up at the entrance. He let go of her arm and quickly got the camera ready. Lois pulled her tape recorder out of her pocket and checked to make sure there was a tape inside.

As the President walked past, Lois thrust the device forward and shouted "Mr. President, how are you enjoying your stay in Paris so far?"

The President could barely hear her over the hundred other members of the press gathered at the entrance, but he managed to shout a "Fine, thanks." in her direction.

Clark snapped a couple photos of the President entering the Louvre, and then turned to Lois.

"You know he will be in there for at least an hour. Do you want to grab a sandwich at the café across the street?'

She hesitated for a moment. Lois had become paranoid that if they were alone for even a moment, he would propose. She realized it wouldn't take Clark too long to figure out that something was bothering her, though, so she tried to respond casually. "I don't want to lose our place in this crowd. Why don't you go get the sandwiches and bring them back here?"

He seemed disappointed, but agreed to go. He handed her the camera, and then made his way through the impatient photographers to the café.

A French reporter nudged her lightly and said "Young love, ah?" She could barely understand him through his thick accent, but gave him a weak smile anyway.

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"I'm gonna go take a shower." Lois said as soon as they returned to the hotel only a few minutes before ten.

"Lois, wait. You've been acting strange all day. Just tell me what's wrong." The look of genuine concern he gave her made Lois sigh in defeat. She walked over to her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. He joined her seconds later, and she took his hand in hers.

"Clark, you know I love you, right?" He nodded, but she noted the worried expression that appeared on his face.

"I love you more than I have loved anyone else in my life. I will never meet anyone who makes me feel so perfectly complete for as long as I live, but…" Lois paused as she realized what she was saying. What was she so scared of? She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life with anyone else. It didn't matter what had happened in her life during the past five years; nothing had been as constant as her love for him.

"Clark," she began, but he silenced her with a kiss. He brushed her lips gently, and then reached into his coat pocket.

"Lois, I feel the same way. I wanted to wait for the perfect moment to do this, but I think this is it." He slowly moved off the bed and knelt down in front of her. "Will you marry me?" he asked as he opened up the box.

Lois placed a hand lightly on Clark's cheek as a single tear fell down her face. She stared lovingly into his eyes and responded "Yes, Clark. I will marry you." He leaned forward and kissed her as they both stood up. The kiss was not full of passion and lust. It was instead full of the enduring love that they shared for each other over many years.

Clark leaned away slightly to remove the beautiful ring from it's box, and then gently slid it onto her finger. She took a brief moment to gaze down at her hand as he kissed it, but they were both soon lost in each other's arms as their lips met once more.

Lois backed up slightly into the bed and began lying down as she pulled Clark with her. Without pulling away from the kiss, Clark quickly slipped his arms out of his jacket and let it fall to the floor. He unbuttoned his shirt with Lois' help, and discarded it as well. She then began tugging lightly at his undershirt until he finally broke their kiss so that she could pull it over his head.

"No Superman today?" she whispered as she realized the familiar "S" was not under his shirt.

"Lois, nothing could take me away from you right now." he said before trailing her neck with kisses. She shuddered slightly at the gesture and pressed her hands against his back.

He pulled back again and began removing her clothes as she waited in anticipation. This time, though, it was Lois who leaned into Clark's ear and whispered "I love you." before their minds drifted off in ecstasy.


	13. Epilogue

He seemed to gaze forever at the fields that spread out to the horizon in front of him. He always found the farm so comforting. It was his own place of solitude growing up. He struggled with coming into his powers during childhood and adolescence, but his parents had been such a great support to him over the years. He knew in his heart he would not be the man he was today without their loving influence.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Clark said as he walked up to his son. "I used to stand in the very same spot and try to clear my head."

Jason turned to his father and gave him a half smile. He was now eye to eye with him, though it wasn't until his teenage years that he had finally had his growth spurt.

"I'm glad we moved out here when I was ten. I can't imagine growing up anywhere else." Jason continued as he returned his gaze to the horizon.

"It was a difficult choice to make. You know how much your mom loved the paper." Clark paused at this and smiled. Jason knew that his mother's drive and ambition made her quite stubborn. "But she knew you needed a real place to learn your new strengths, and therefore put your needs first. When your grandmother died, I felt I owed it to her, and grandpa, to keep this farm alive. Mom agreed, too, and well, you know the rest."

Jason remembered how difficult it was for his father to deal with Martha's death. He had just married Lois a few months before in the beautiful cathedral on the main street in Metropolis. Martha had been their to see her son finally get a chance at the happiness he deserved, and then she passed away, almost as if she was finally confident that he would be okay without her.

The marriage ceremony occurred after Jason's tenth birthday. He had never understood why it had taken his mom and dad so long to finally admit to the world that they were in love, but as he got older, he realized that some things in life just seem to take time. He knew his parents had to be careful to protect Clark's identity, and therefore had to slowly show their relationship growing to the public after they were already completely in love to begin with. Jason could only hope he would find someone he could share a love as strong as his parents' love for each other with.

"How long will you be able to stay with us?" Clark asked after they both had stood in silence for a few minutes.

"I only flew in for the weekend. Jimmy's keeping me pretty busy at the Planet. I never realized how hard it is to start out as a Junior Reporter. I only proofread the obituaries, but Jimmy seems to treat me more like an assistant. I can't believe he got promoted from Lead Photographer to Editor in Chief last year."

"You know Perry brought him up that way. He treated him more like a son than he did Richard." Clark explained. "What the real mystery is to me is who or what convinced Perry to retire?"

Jason had to laugh at this with his father. Even though Perry had been a family friend since Jason was born, he had still given him a hard time when he had applied for a job after high school. Perry had that unique aura about him that commanded both respect and fear from anyone he met. His heart and soul went into the paper, and it was a shock to everyone when he stood aside and passed his title to Jimmy last Christmas.

"Well, he still keeps in touch with Jimmy. He calls him often to check in and see how things are running, and that is only on a good day. Sometimes he will come in and stand over Jimmy for hours. Luckily Jimmy doesn't mind." The both smiled at this, knowing full well that nothing made Jimmy more nervous than Perry's presence.

"Richard and Diana are flying in this Thanksgiving." Clark said casually as they continued to enjoy their peaceful moment.

"I haven't had a chance to speak to him recently. It will be nice to catch up with him over the holidays." Jason missed Richard lately since he had become overwhelmed at the Planet. Richard had been transferred to a highly respected Chicago paper around the time that Lois and Clark had made the decision to move out to the farm. As a family they had decided to reveal Clark's identity to Richard soon after Clark's proposal. He was a good man, and he deserved the truth. After a slightly awkward return from Europe, he had slowly become close friends with Clark, and was often invited over for dinner and other special occasions.

Richard met his wife, Diana, shortly after his move to Chicago. Jason felt she was a good match for him, and was happy to see his initial dad had finally moved on. It took Jason awhile to accept that Clark was his father, and when he finally began calling him dad, he started referring to Richard as "Uncle Richard." It was weird to say at first, but Jason was only seven when he had to finally sort out his feelings for his multiple father figures. He was glad those confusing years were long gone, and that somehow everything had worked out in the end.

Jason shifted so that he was now facing his father instead of the sunrise. He felt his suit shift and tried to alter it so that he was more comfortable. "Do you ever get used to this thing?" he asked playfully.

Clark laughed before putting an arm on his son's shoulder. "Trust me. In a couple more years, you won't even feel it."

Jason laughed slightly, too. He was still adjusting to taking up his role as Superman. His dad passed down his suit to Jason when he made the decision to move out to Metropolis. Somehow Clark had managed to keep an eye on the chaotic city from the quiet life in Smallville all these years. How he managed it, Jason felt he would never know. Protecting a city you resided in was already quite taxing for him.

As if Clark knew what he was thinking, he added "You'll get used to your identity, too. You'll realize that as long as your heart lies with the people you have silently sworn to protect, you will always be there for them."

At this, Jason hugged his father. Whenever he felt as though the world was too much to handle, he only needed to think of his father and then would be able to continue on.

"Clark! I told you to call Jason to dinner, not join him." Lois said as she marched over to them. Even though Lois was trying desperately to sound stern, Jason could see the smile creeping on to her lips. He quickly walked over and threw his arms around her. She was nearing her 50's but still had retained such a unique sense of youth in her attitude towards life. She had slowly embraced the comfort of the farm, and had transitioned almost smoothly into her role as a housewife. Almost was the key word, though. Lois refused to let go of her take charge persona and unfailing curiosity. This was one of the reasons Jason loved his mother so much. She always reminded him to stay true to himself.

Lois finally let go of Jason after a few moments in his embrace. "It's nice to see you, too." she whispered. "C'mon. There is food on the table, and it is not getting any warmer." She said this last part playfully and turned to walk back to the house.

Jason gave his father a mischievous look out of the corner of his eye. Clark instantly registered what he was thinking and gave a slight nod before they both zoomed off ahead of Lois to the table.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with the two of you!" she shouted from outside as she sprinted towards the house. Jason simply laughed with his father as they began eating.

It was good to be home.


End file.
